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ARS Home » Plains Area » Bushland, Texas » Conservation and Production Research Laboratory » Livestock Nutrient Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #227150
Title: Livestock water pumping with wind and solar power

Author
item Clark, Ray
item Vick, Brian

Submitted to: Proceedings of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers International (ASABE)
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/1/2008
Publication Date: 7/2/2008
Citation: Clark, R.N., Vick, B.D. 2008. Livestock water pumping with wind and solar power. In: Proceedings of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE) Annual Meeting, June 29-July 2, 2008, Providence, Rhode Island. Paper No. 084176. Available: http://asae.frymulti.com/azdez.asp?search=1&JID=5&AID=24762&CID=prov2008&v=&i=&T=1

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Recent developments in pumping technologies have allowed for efficient use of renewable energies like wind and solar to power new pumps for remote water pumping. A helical type, positive displacement pump was developed a few years ago and recently modified to accept input from a variable power source. This pump was tested at different pumping depths with both solar and wind energy power sources. The solar power source consisted of 640 W of photovoltaic panels and the wind power source was a 1000 W wind turbine. For Bushland, Texas, the solar powered pump provided enough water for the 150 beef cattle in the summer months of June, July, and August and was adequate in winter months when water consumption was lower. The wind powered pumping system provided sufficient water in summer for the same number of cattle (150 head), but had excess water in the winter and spring when winds were higher and water consumption was lower.